GoK Outsources OP Twitter a/c & Website
Hi Listers, The website www.republicofkenya.org appears to be backed by the GoK but managed by a US firm. They also seem to handle the twitter account @insidekenya which indicates its the Twitter account for Office of the President. On both, it is explicitly stated that CLS & Associates distribute the content on behalf of OP for the government. CLS have an impressive client list but with all the advancements I have seen in the web industry in Kenya over the last three years, I am certain a local firm could have handled this. In fact, there should be staffers in the government spokesman's office or the Kenya ICT Board who can work with the international PR firm and the local OP staff to update this website and profile. How did this happen? How has the government mitigated against the risks of foreigners spreading misinformation using official online government channels? Is the entire government spokesman's office going to be outsourced as well? http://www.republicofkenya.org http://www.twitter.com/insidekenya http://www.clsdc.com Kind regards, *Muchiri* Nyaggah Director @muchiri +254 722 506400 Semacraft.com
Muchiri It is very frustrating to hear that a US firm is managing this. I think that this "Mercedes" complex is a widespread and pernicious problem in Kenyan government. We really need to focus on local capacity. We have one of the most educated workforces in Africa, indeed, in the world. Look at the American president! Rigia On Sat, Mar 12, 2011 at 1:34 PM, Muchiri Nyaggah <muchiri@semacraft.com>wrote:
Hi Listers,
The website www.republicofkenya.org appears to be backed by the GoK but managed by a US firm. They also seem to handle the twitter account @insidekenya which indicates its the Twitter account for Office of the President. On both, it is explicitly stated that CLS & Associates distribute the content on behalf of OP for the government.
CLS have an impressive client list but with all the advancements I have seen in the web industry in Kenya over the last three years, I am certain a local firm could have handled this. In fact, there should be staffers in the government spokesman's office or the Kenya ICT Board who can work with the international PR firm and the local OP staff to update this website and profile.
How did this happen? How has the government mitigated against the risks of foreigners spreading misinformation using official online government channels? Is the entire government spokesman's office going to be outsourced as well?
http://www.republicofkenya.org http://www.twitter.com/insidekenya http://www.clsdc.com
Kind regards,
*Muchiri* Nyaggah
Director
@muchiri
+254 722 506400
Semacraft.com
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While you are at it, what is so hard about our leadership emulating Paul Kagame on Twitter? On Sat, Mar 12, 2011 at 3:00 PM, warigia bowman <warigia@aucegypt.edu>wrote:
Muchiri
It is very frustrating to hear that a US firm is managing this. I think that this "Mercedes" complex is a widespread and pernicious problem in Kenyan government.
We really need to focus on local capacity. We have one of the most educated workforces in Africa, indeed, in the world. Look at the American president!
Rigia
On Sat, Mar 12, 2011 at 1:34 PM, Muchiri Nyaggah <muchiri@semacraft.com>wrote:
Hi Listers,
The website www.republicofkenya.org appears to be backed by the GoK but managed by a US firm. They also seem to handle the twitter account @insidekenya which indicates its the Twitter account for Office of the President. On both, it is explicitly stated that CLS & Associates distribute the content on behalf of OP for the government.
CLS have an impressive client list but with all the advancements I have seen in the web industry in Kenya over the last three years, I am certain a local firm could have handled this. In fact, there should be staffers in the government spokesman's office or the Kenya ICT Board who can work with the international PR firm and the local OP staff to update this website and profile.
How did this happen? How has the government mitigated against the risks of foreigners spreading misinformation using official online government channels? Is the entire government spokesman's office going to be outsourced as well?
http://www.republicofkenya.org http://www.twitter.com/insidekenya http://www.clsdc.com
Kind regards,
*Muchiri* Nyaggah
Director
@muchiri
+254 722 506400
Semacraft.com
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-- My Blog - www.gmeltdown.com ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Keep on doing what you know is right ...
I have looked at the site but it does not look like an authentic GOK sponsored site. How can they get the Official Coat Of Arms Colors (It is obviously not RED!) wrong? Then, why would GOK go for a .org and not .go.ke domain? Further, no official contact information except some references to official GOK sites like kenya.go.ke.. Regards, John R. Gicharu ________________________________ From: John Kieti <jkieti@gmail.com> To: JOHN GICHARU <john_gicharu@yahoo.com> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Sat, March 12, 2011 5:27:14 PM Subject: Re: [kictanet] GoK Outsources OP Twitter a/c & Website While you are at it, what is so hard about our leadership emulating Paul Kagame on Twitter? On Sat, Mar 12, 2011 at 3:00 PM, warigia bowman <warigia@aucegypt.edu> wrote: Muchiri
It is very frustrating to hear that a US firm is managing this. I think that this "Mercedes" complex is a widespread and pernicious problem in Kenyan government.
We really need to focus on local capacity. We have one of the most educated workforces in Africa, indeed, in the world. Look at the American president!
Rigia
On Sat, Mar 12, 2011 at 1:34 PM, Muchiri Nyaggah <muchiri@semacraft.com> wrote:
Hi Listers,
The website www.republicofkenya.org appears to be backed by the GoK but managed by a US firm. They also seem to handle the twitter account @insidekenya which indicates its the Twitter account for Office of the President. On both, it is explicitly stated that CLS & Associates distribute the content on behalf of OP for the government.
CLS have an impressive client list but with all the advancements I have seen in the web industry in Kenya over the last three years, I am certain a local firm could have handled this. In fact, there should be staffers in the government spokesman's office or the Kenya ICT Board who can work with the international PR firm and the local OP staff to update this website and profile.
How did this happen? How has the government mitigated against the risks of foreigners spreading misinformation using official online government channels? Is the entire government spokesman's office going to be outsourced as well?
http://www.republicofkenya.org http://www.twitter.com/insidekenya http://www.clsdc.com
Kind regards,
Muchiri Nyaggah Director @muchiri +254 722 506400 Semacraft.com
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"Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC". The above line is at the footer. How's that for official contact information. Kind regards, *Muchiri* Nyaggah Director @muchiri +254 722 506400 Semacraft.com On Sat, Mar 12, 2011 at 8:09 PM, John R. Gicharu <john_gicharu@yahoo.com>wrote:
I have looked at the site but it does not look like an authentic GOK sponsored site. How can they get the Official Coat Of Arms Colors (It is obviously not RED!) wrong? Then, why would GOK go for a .org and not . go.ke domain? Further, no official contact information except some references to official GOK sites like kenya.go.ke..
Regards,
John R. Gicharu
------------------------------ *From:* John Kieti <jkieti@gmail.com> *To:* JOHN GICHARU <john_gicharu@yahoo.com> *Cc:* KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> *Sent:* Sat, March 12, 2011 5:27:14 PM *Subject:* Re: [kictanet] GoK Outsources OP Twitter a/c & Website
While you are at it, what is so hard about our leadership emulating Paul Kagame on Twitter?
On Sat, Mar 12, 2011 at 3:00 PM, warigia bowman <warigia@aucegypt.edu>wrote:
Muchiri
It is very frustrating to hear that a US firm is managing this. I think that this "Mercedes" complex is a widespread and pernicious problem in Kenyan government.
We really need to focus on local capacity. We have one of the most educated workforces in Africa, indeed, in the world. Look at the American president!
Rigia
On Sat, Mar 12, 2011 at 1:34 PM, Muchiri Nyaggah <muchiri@semacraft.com>wrote:
Hi Listers,
The website www.republicofkenya.org appears to be backed by the GoK but managed by a US firm. They also seem to handle the twitter account @insidekenya which indicates its the Twitter account for Office of the President. On both, it is explicitly stated that CLS & Associates distribute the content on behalf of OP for the government.
CLS have an impressive client list but with all the advancements I have seen in the web industry in Kenya over the last three years, I am certain a local firm could have handled this. In fact, there should be staffers in the government spokesman's office or the Kenya ICT Board who can work with the international PR firm and the local OP staff to update this website and profile.
How did this happen? How has the government mitigated against the risks of foreigners spreading misinformation using official online government channels? Is the entire government spokesman's office going to be outsourced as well?
http://www.republicofkenya.org http://www.twitter.com/insidekenya http://www.clsdc.com
Kind regards,
*Muchiri* Nyaggah
Director
@muchiri
+254 722 506400
Semacraft.com
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
This message was sent to: warigia@gmail.com Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/warigia%40gmail.com
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I have been reading up on social media for the past few weeks and from what I am learning we are still in .net 1.0 in as far as productive use is concerned. I was forced to take the reigns back after giving my blog to a third party, they gave me a wonderful presentation on how they would put me on the online map but after a few weeks I decided that there was no alternative but to get my hands dirty. This is not to digress from the issue at hand but to set the mood for my comment, we are generally theorists who run when asked to put our money where our mouths are, we write long winded papers on how to use social media yet we have never implemented them. An ability to post on facebook is not enough for a technical person you need to be able to explore the innards of the system, RTFM did not end with online. The government knows us very well and thus they have opted to have someone action oriented to handle their online interaction, let prove ourselves before we through stones. Regards Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 Kenya Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696 ________________________________ From: Muchiri Nyaggah <muchiri@semacraft.com> To: robertyawe@yahoo.co.uk Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Sat, 12 March, 2011 14:34:56 Subject: [kictanet] GoK Outsources OP Twitter a/c & Website Hi Listers, The website www.republicofkenya.org appears to be backed by the GoK but managed by a US firm. They also seem to handle the twitter account @insidekenya which indicates its the Twitter account for Office of the President. On both, it is explicitly stated that CLS & Associates distribute the content on behalf of OP for the government. CLS have an impressive client list but with all the advancements I have seen in the web industry in Kenya over the last three years, I am certain a local firm could have handled this. In fact, there should be staffers in the government spokesman's office or the Kenya ICT Board who can work with the international PR firm and the local OP staff to update this website and profile. How did this happen? How has the government mitigated against the risks of foreigners spreading misinformation using official online government channels? Is the entire government spokesman's office going to be outsourced as well? http://www.republicofkenya.org http://www.twitter.com/insidekenya http://www.clsdc.com Kind regards, Muchiri Nyaggah Director @muchiri +254 722 506400 Semacraft.com
Muchiri, I am sorry it took long to respond to your post. Yes the Government of Kenya hired CLS to improve its image after what happened in 2008. The firm has in its compliment a battery of former congressmen. They have over the past one year done a superp job. The twitter account is just a value add to the many issues they handle on behalf of Government. I am in the committee that monitors its activity and in my view have done good. There is no problem a Kenyan handling such an account. Indeed it is my wish that local firms partner with such high profile companies and take advantages of emerging opportunities. They too want such collaborations as they have hired Kenyans in their portifolio in order to serve us better. Let us not complain before we have facts. Further, when CLS were hired, the matter was extensively debated in the media. There is nothing secret here. Regards. Ndemo. Sent from my BlackBerry® -----Original Message----- From: Muchiri Nyaggah <muchiri@semacraft.com> Sender: kictanet-bounces+bitange=jambo.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2011 14:34:56 To: <bitange@jambo.co.ke> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Subject: [kictanet] GoK Outsources OP Twitter a/c & Website _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: bitange@jambo.co.ke Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/bitange%40jambo.co.ke
Glad to see the clarification Bw PS. My intention was not to cast aspersions on CLS, they are a PR superbrand. I did find it bewildering that CLS were handling that much on behalf of Office of the President. I look forward to seeing such communications roles being handled by Kenyan firms in the future. These facts notwithstanding, is it really necessary for CLS to send anyone requiring more information on RepublicOfKenya.org to the US Government's Department of Justice in Washington DC? Wouldn't Embassy of Kenya in DC be better for our image? It's my pedestrian 2 cents. Kind regards, *Muchiri* Nyaggah Director @muchiri +254 722 506400 Semacraft.com On Mon, Mar 14, 2011 at 7:34 PM, <bitange@jambo.co.ke> wrote:
Muchiri, I am sorry it took long to respond to your post. Yes the Government of Kenya hired CLS to improve its image after what happened in 2008. The firm has in its compliment a battery of former congressmen. They have over the past one year done a superp job. The twitter account is just a value add to the many issues they handle on behalf of Government. I am in the committee that monitors its activity and in my view have done good.
There is no problem a Kenyan handling such an account. Indeed it is my wish that local firms partner with such high profile companies and take advantages of emerging opportunities. They too want such collaborations as they have hired Kenyans in their portifolio in order to serve us better.
Let us not complain before we have facts. Further, when CLS were hired, the matter was extensively debated in the media. There is nothing secret here.
Regards.
Ndemo.
Sent from my BlackBerry®
-----Original Message----- From: Muchiri Nyaggah <muchiri@semacraft.com> Sender: kictanet-bounces+bitange=jambo.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2011 14:34:56 To: <bitange@jambo.co.ke> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Subject: [kictanet] GoK Outsources OP Twitter a/c & Website
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participants (6)
-
bitange＠jambo.co.ke -
John Kieti -
John R. Gicharu -
Muchiri Nyaggah -
robert yawe -
warigia bowman